It was far more than a rumor. It was openly discussed in print from company sources and we were told to expect it on the next AE. Then you know what happened.

There was then, and is now, more than enough flying to justify a base. However that flying is scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, topped and diced over every redundant BES in the system to reduce every second of trip credit etc. The 88/90 leaving helped a little, however the 220 is still finding its footing as a new fleet type and the 717's fate can only be found on a greased Ouija board in the back seat of a roller coaster.

Eventually? Probably. Soon? No one knows. No one.